Culturally we are a very driven society. There is a push to succeed, particularly on an individual basis. In business this often translates to company cultures of, “if you are car isn’t in the parking lot on Saturday, don’t bother coming back to work on Sunday” which translates to 60, 80, or even 100 hour work weeks. The thing is high levels of stress are well-documented to break us down and cause serious health problems. Over-worked, exhausted people are less likely to be creative, innovative and productive and are more likely to be out sick.

So what does fun have to do with it? Enter Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com. He is leading one of the most successful companies in America and his focus is on happiness – for his customers AND his employees.  Here’s a quote that’s typical from articles about Hsieh and Zappos:

“And yet, this mild-mannered fellow leads a company that is entirely uninhibited. Interviews are held over vodka shots, bathrooms are plastered with “urine color” charts (ostensibly to ensure that employees are hydrated but also just to be weird and funny), and managers are encouraged to goof off with the people they manage….

Hsieh tries his best to keep up with the goofy, libertine culture. Every day, he blasts a steady stream of playful messages to 350,000 people on Twitter. (Before taking the stage at a conference earlier this year, he posted this missive: ”Spilled Coke on left leg of jeans, so poured some water on right leg so looks like the denim fade.”)” (quote from Inc. interview)

Hsieh’s approach to business is radical. He sits with his employees rather than in “an important office,” and he encourages their creativity and “goofy fun” daily. Of course there is more to his approach than having fun, but it is a critical piece of the formula and an element that is seriously lacking in American business these days.

Many companies have “enforced fun” like the annual company picnic, the annual Holiday Party and such. These events are often met with reactions ranging from “this is annoying, but I have to go,” to all out dread by employees and feel unnatural since they aren’t in sync with the daily culture. Employees often attend to be sure they get their “points” and to be seen as being loyal and enthusiastic, (whether they really feel it or not).

So what would happen to America and American business if we “lightened up?” What would happen to you as a leader if you allowed yourself to have fun? You may argue this wouldn’t be natural for you, but according to reports, it’s not natural for Tony Hsieh either. He is described as a fairly shy, reserved person, yet he pushes himself out of his personal comfort zone because he understands the bigger picture benefits to his company and business.

What would happen if you not only allowed, but encouraged your employees to have fun? What if fun wasn’t once or twice a year “because you should,” but it was a daily part of coming to work? Might be worth experimenting with this one…

Our recent blog post about “Lean Conversations” connected us to Dan Markovitz of  TimeBack Management  and provoked a great dialogue about increasing our own productivity and that of white collar or “knowledge workers” in general. Dan’s slogan “working at the intersection of personal productivity and lean manufacturing” really captures his offering. For those of you interested in looking at office productivity through the eyes of “lean,” we urge you to check out Dan’s blog posts.

From 2130′s perspective the opportunity starts with recognizing that there actually is an opportunity for huge breakthroughs in productivity for all of us. Unless you start your thinking from this possibility, you will never put your energy and intention into capturing the available gains for your associates and yourself.  The “urgent” will continue to distract you and draw your focus.  As Markowitz says, “you’ll never get off the fire truck!”

The second step is to create a vision of what your work practices would look like if it were the “golden era.”  In other words, if your work life were all working perfectly, what would you be getting done and what would happen to all the rest of it?  This means you have to identify a clear picture of what is important and valuable and what you are committed to, (what we would call your “Yonder Star”).  Easily said, and yet we find many clients who struggle mightily with this seemingly simple notion.  The critical point is everything builds from this starting point so if you aren’t willing to take this on, stop reading.

The next step is to track your practices, (see Markovitz’s blog for more on this).  Find those things that are necessary, predictable, and/or repetitive, amid all the unique activities in your week. Pull them out and put them on your calendar at times that are convenient, with plenty of lead-time to get them done.

Now compare your vision to all the stuff you have been doing and see if much of it really forwards you on your path to your vision and highest priorities. Now be rigorous and drop as much as possible of what doesn’t fit.  This may mean delegating or sub-contracting or it may mean you just stop doing it. Notice who you are afraid of offending or don’t want to disappoint. Is there a way you can re-negotiate? Can you just stop? Why not? What is it costing you to keep doing things that are not leading to your vision? Are you willing to keep paying that price? How much time have you got left?

Now ask “what’s missing today from my vision today that would be the most valuable thing I could put my attention on?” “What, if I/we got to work on it would give us the greatest leverage in fulfilling the vision?”  By leverage we mean getting the greatest result for the least effort and investment of resources. Pick one, and no more than three, activities and build time into your calendar for them. Share your new focus with others so that they ask you how you are doing.  They may even look to see how they can support you!  That’s real accountability – holding yourself accountable in a public way through your declarations.

Start practicing your new design.  It will take practice to break your old habits and build sustainable new ones. It does take the initial effort of the analysis above and building a new practice, but the outcomes will be worth it.

 Let us know how you are doing!